Sen. Johnnie Turner, R-Harlan, spoke during a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation, July 18, 2023. (LRC Public Information)
Sen. Johnnie Turner, a Republican from Harlan, has been hospitalized following an accident involving a riding lawn mower Sunday afternoon.
In a statement Monday morning, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said Turner was “in critical but stable condition” and had been admitted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.
“I’ve been in touch with Johnnie’s family, who are with him at the hospital,” Stivers said. “The family requests prayers for a speedy recovery.”
Turner has been serving in the Senate since 2021. He represents Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott and Letcher counties. He previously had a stint in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2022. He is 76 years old.
According to multiple media reports, Turner drove a lawn mower into the deep end of an empty swimming pool.